Is health consciousness and perceived privacy protection critical to use wearable health devices? Extending the model of goal-directed behavior

Modeling the Intention and Adoption of Wearable Fitness Devices: A Study Using SEM-PLS Analysis

Wearable fitness devices (WFDs) are prevalent personal technology that empowers the users' management and supervision of their personal health. The current study explored the impact of health consciousness, health motivation, perceived cost, compatibility, usefulness, and perceived technology accuracy with the intention to use the WFDs. Furthermore, the users' conspicuous consumption and intention promote the usage of WFDs. A cross-sectional and quantitative research design was utilized for the current study, followed by data collection through social media and a final analysis with 1,071 samples data. The data analysis was accomplished with the partial least square regression structural equation modeling. The findings of this study revealed that the users' level of health consciousness, perceived compatibility, usefulness, perceived cost, and technology accuracy significantly influenced the intention to use WFDs. However, the conspicuous consumption and intention indicated the support for the usage behavior of the WFDs. This behavior significantly moderated the relationship between the intention and usage behavior for the WFDs. This study contributed to the theoretical realm for prompting the intention to use the WFDs with personal protection motivation that depicts the coping strategy and technology level attributes that form the intention to use WFDs. The WFDs manufacturers should therefore focus on developing WFDs features that harness usage behavior among the adults. Developing the personal responsibility to reduce the burden of the healthcare system and taking care of personal health could promote the usage of the WFDs.

Salleh MF, Salameh AA, Makhbul ZKM. Predicting the Mass Adoption of eDoctor Apps During COVID-19 in China Using Hybrid SEM-Neural Network Analysis

Technology plays an increasingly important role in our daily lives. The use of technology-based healthcare apps facilitates and empowers users to use such apps and saves the burden on the public healthcare system during COVID-19. Through technology-based healthcare apps, patients can be virtually connected to doctors for medical services. This study explored users' intention and adoption of eDoctor apps in relation to their health behaviors and healthcare technology attributes among Chinese adults. Cross-sectional data were collected through social media, resulting in a total of 961 valid responses for analysis. The hybrid analysis technique of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) analysis was applied. The obtained results revealed the significant influence of eDoctor apps in terms of usefulness, compatibility, accuracy, and privacy on users' intention to use eDoctor apps. Intention and product value were also found to suggestively promote the adoption of eDoctor apps. This study offered practical recommendations for the suppliers and developers of eHealth apps to make every attempt of informing and building awareness to nurture users' intention and usage of healthcare technology. Users' weak health consciousness and motivation are notable barriers that restrict their intention and adoption of the apps. Mass adoption of eDoctor apps can also be achieved through the integration of the right technology features that build the product value and adoption of eDoctor apps. The limitations of the current study and recommendations for future research are presented at the end of this paper.